Controller.



No. 859,186. PATENTED JULY 2, 1907.

L. J. MONAHAN.

CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 11, 1906.

WITNESSES: mmvrofl W A )WWZM d WM,

.reversed while running.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

LOUIS .T. MONAHAN, OF OSHKOSH, WISCONSIN.

CONTROLLER.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented July 2, 1907.

Application filed July 11,1906. Serial No. 325,737.

and reliable contr'oller'whereby the speed of the engine can be changed instantly and the engine can be A'iurther object is to soarrange the parts so they will be convenient-and within easy reach of the operator.

In the drawings Figure 1 represents an engine with the complete device attached. Fig. 2, shows the controller complete detached. Fig. 3, shows a, detail of the brush or insulated electrode. Figs-e and 5, show 'twoviews oi the revolving contact collar;

' i In' the drawings, the numeral 1 represents an internal combustion engine of the marine type; 2, is a side plate bolted onto the'crank'case; 3, an extending end of the crank shaft; and 4, a fly wheel.. The side plate 2 is turned down a short distance from the end and a bracket casting, 5, of approximately the form shown,

* is bored out and sleeved over the turned pait on the side plate 2. The bracket is spilt through the lower side and has the lugs, {6, cast solid therewith and a cap screw is tapped into one of the said lugs and fits loosely through the other so that by tightening the said screw,

the bracket will be clamped tightly to the side plate.

The bracket, 5, is of peculiar form. The extending post, 7, is for the purpose of limiting the throw of thelever about the axis oi the bracket by striking webs 8, placed on the side plate for the purpose. The upper part of the bracket extends backward in order to extend awayirom the fly wheel. A lever, 9, preferably of steel or brass, is fitted into-a groove (the latter being cast in the upper portion of the bracket 5, and held securely therein by means of a tap bolt, 10, passing through the bracket and lever. At the upper end of the lever a switch is provided, comprising a brass clip, 11, '01"- approximately the form shown and iulcrumed at 12 to a cap screw or otherwise. ,A brass round head machine screw, 13, is arranged to extend through the lever and insulated therefrom by means of fiber tubes andwashers and held therein by means of nuts, 14, at

the rear of the lever. The point of the clip, 11, is arranged to rest in the slot of the screw head, 13,- and hormally held therein by means of a spring, 15.

A contact collar is shown in Figs. 4 and .5 and is composed of a flanged ring, .16, with a segment, 17, extending across the width of the contact collar and forming part thereof A. fiberwasher, 18, is cut to a form to slip over the'brass hub of the ring and around the segment. This fiber is held. to the brass ring by means of rivets, 19, passing through the fiber and brass. After they are riveted. together, the outside of the contact collar is turned leaving the brass segment and fiber even on the periphery. A round lug, 20, is cast with the brass ring, as shown, and is adapted to fit into a hole in the fly wheel hub so that it will be driven byand revolve with the fiy wheel.-

' A' brass block, 21, is secured to the bracket by means of two machine screws, 22. The block 21 is insulated electrically from the bracket by means of a fiat piece of fiber, 23, and by tubes and washers of fiber around the screws, 22. The block has'a groove cut therein its whole length, as shown in 3, and a brass block or brush 24, is fitted loosely therein and has a holedrilled. downward from its top to take a spring 25; A flat strip, 26, is secured to the top of the block by means of two screws, as shown, and covers the groove in the said block and also serves to hold the spring down into the hole in the brush, 24. This flat strip, 26, extends a short distance past the block, 21, and has a screw or binding post fitted at the end for the purpose of attaching a wire to conduct a current of electricity thereto. The fiber strip, 23, serves to cover the groove in the block when secured to the bracket so that'the brush, 24, has up and down movement only and is held down by means of the spring 25.

' In operation, a wireirom the spark coil or battery is attached tothe screw or binding post on the flat strip, 26, and the remaining wire to the screw, 13, at the rear or under the nuts, 14. It will be seen that the circuit is closed between the lever and the con- .tact, 13, and that. when the segment of the contact collar, 17, comes in contact with the brush, 24, the

circuit is also closed between the bracket and inslie lated block, 21, but when thecontact collar revolves still further, it breaks the circuit as the brush rides on the fiber portion of the contact collar and is there; by insulated electrically. It is also obvious th t by moving the lever to the right or left, the time of contact between the contact collar and brush is changed with relation to the cam or crankshaft, that is, the time'oi ignition is advanced or delayed, according to the position of the lever and bracket.

The device is principally adapted" to two cycle engin es which are capable of running in either direction. To reverse the engine, the lever is'moved' over to the extreme end of its travel, opposite to the direction the engine is running in and at the same time, the switch,

11, is pressed thereby, disconnecting the current so the engine will slow down; just before the engine stops, the switch is' released and the current again connected, starting ignition, and on account of the extreme early gnition at slow engine speed,-the p e ton starts downward before it reaches the upward .ihe said spring, and Webs center, thus running in the opposite direction. The

engine czin be reversed back again by noving the lever to the other extreme end of its travel andusing the switch as'before stated. ,Thescre v, 6, 'is only used to keep a reasonable tension on. the bracket so it will stay where set' Having fully described my'invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent'isz- 1. In ii controller or tilner for explosive engines the combination with on engine having a side plate (2), of a bracket of suitable form having the extending lug 7 sleeved 'over the side plate and adapted to have a limited travel about the said side plate; an upward extendingieveror handle attached, to'the said bracket and having an electric switch moun'ted'on its upper end, :1 grooved block secured to and insulated from the said bracket,- a brush titted loosely to a groove in the said grooved biock, the

said brush having n hoie-dnilied lengthwise therein but closed at one end, a spring contained in the said hole, s for holding the spring therein,,1 contact coiia'r 1g ii ring with a brass segment on its periphery i to be sleeved on the cram shaft end revolve under n contact with the said brush under. .the'tension of a brass flanged ring,

(8) formingpurt ofthe said scenes side plate and arranged in the path of travel of the said extending lug 7 for the purpose set forth,

2. In a controller for explosive engines'; the combination with a bracket-of snitabietorm and ,ha.ving an 'upward extending iever or handle, oi'n switch mounted near the end of the said iever comprising a clip, l'lj'iiiicrumed to the said lever, ah insulated contact, 13, the iever,.e. suitably formed block, 21, secured to and insuiatedfrom the said bracket end having a groove its entire Ieng'th,-a brush, 24, fitted loosely in the said groove and having a hole tberein a spring arrang ed in the said hole, a dot strip,-

tion to form "a contact, end a contact collar adapted to revolve beneath and in contact with the said brush.

3. In 1 controller an electrical contacttcoiiar comprising 16, with o. segmental projection 17, and having anextending log, 20, a, fiber washer IB' secured to the brass ringand having its periphery continuous with the said segrnent, 17, for the purpose 'set forth.

In testimony whereof I niiix my signature, in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LOUIS .T. MONAHAN.

Witnesses: I

W. W. WATERHOUSE, A. R. WATER-HOUSE.

passing through 26, secured to the top of the said block, 21, and against the said spring and having an ex'tendingpow 

